Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego National Park

To prepare for my trip, I had watched the film “Scott of the Antarctic” as well as most of frozen Planet 1 and 2 and on the journey I read Ranolph Fiennes book on Shackleton and Sara Wheeler's Terra 'Incognito'. I remember the feeling as I flew into Ushuaia, that after all the months of preparation I couldn't quite believe that I was actually going to Antarctica. 

I was pleased to see my suitcase arrive safely in Ushuaia and was met by Rumbo Sur the transfer company for Quark who took me to my hotel. I had booked 2 extra nights so I could see the national park. There was a slight problem checking into the hotel sadly my room was not ready; so they moved me to their 5 star hotel next door with pool and spa!

Because the hotel was quite high up there were lovely views across the Beagle Channel. The view was constantly changing rain, snow on the mountains and sunshine on the sea. 

I had booked a tour of the National Park near Ushuaia with Rumbo Sur. As I joined the bus I found I was the only English speaking person, so the guide invited me to sit next to her at the front so she could easily translate her running commentary.

After we entered the park and got the through the long queue to pay for park entry and the triain. Park entry needed to be in cash, but I could pay for the train with my credit card. The "Train to the End of the World' is the furthest south working railway. The railway was original built to transport prisoners between their prison and Ushuaia. Almost in the same way that Britain sent prisoners to Australia, Argentina decided to do the same in send prisoners to Ushuaia and the prison was built in 1902. The route today only covers a small part of the track.

Before getting on the train you could have your picture taken with men dressed in prison costume. Not something that appealed to me, when I thought of how prisoners were treated. On the train we were given earphones so we could listen to the history, there was a different channel for each language.

Much of the work done by prisoners included chopping down trees. Theirs tools were quite basic and it must have been hard. You could still see tree stumps where the trees had been removed. One area full of tree stumps was called the tree cemetery. The height of the stump showed when it had been cut down, the ones near to the ground were done in summer. Whereas the higher ones would have been above the depth of the snow and there were many like that.

After about an hour the train came to the end on the line and we rejoined the coach. Our guide explained the landscape, history, flora and fauna. She pointed out the different types of beech trees deciduous, evergreen and low lying. The land was originally inhabited by local indigenous people the, one tribe called the Yamanas, who moved between sea and land carrying their belongings and fire with them. Astonishingly they wore few clothes. Because their smoke was seen from the sea by the early explorers, the land was named land of fire - Tierra del Fuego. However, like in many other continents explorers brought with them disease and little compassion for people whose land they claimed.

Our coach stopped at various landmark one then end of Route 3, part and the pan American Highway, which can take you across north and South Americas from Alaska to Ushuaia. We heard of one couple who arrived having taken 6 years to cycle the whole route!

The final stop was a lake which looked over into Chile before I returned to my hotel. Whilst in Ushuaia I also visited the Maritime Museum. They Museum is in the old prison buildings with each wing and cells following a theme. Some of the cells were in their original condition, but others were painted and decorated. A whole section displayed how indigenous people used to live. Some of the cells were in their original condition, but others were painted and decorated.